Prodromou[/B] replies to AKEL on labour status.
In a written statement, the Education Minister asks whether AKEL is finally claiming unconstitutionality.
"What is certain is that his current positions reveal hypocrisy, while he recently criticised the abolition of the market for services," he notes.
In detail:
"With today's position, AKEL refers to unconstitutional attempts to have executive decisions taken by Parliament, engages in an attempt to 'sell hope' on the basis of 'employment for an indefinite period' and to those who have a relationship of purchasing services with the public sector, and speaks out against the President of the Republic.
He berates the President and the Government for reporting legislation to the Supreme Court regarding impermissible interference by Parliament in matters relating to permanent employees. But why does he not wait to see the relevant decisions of the Supreme Court and base claims on his own verdicts?
Does AKEL mean that the President of the Republic should be indifferent if either unconstitutional provisions or regulations are passed through which the separation of powers is abolished? Is this the arrangement they have made with the presidential candidate they are supporting in the forthcoming elections? In other words, to be indifferent to unconstitutional legislative proposals which AKEL will support electorally?
As regards the substance of the issue, which directly concerns the many teacher candidates on the appointment lists ("appointees" and "eligible for appointment"), any safeguarding of "employment rights for an indefinite period of time" is not offered as a solution. Regardless of whether this should be done following any court decisions, a permanent and lasting solution is needed.
It is known that the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY) is thoroughly examining this issue - which has large dimensions - in order to provide solutions that will both serve the well-intentioned interests of education and guarantee the professional security of teachers. The proposed solutions will be made public shortly.
But is AKEL's attitude sincere or is it an opportunistic populist position?If its attitude was sincere, then why was AKEL the only political party to react strongly when, on one occasion two months ago, at the beginning of the school year, the Ministry of Education and Culture replaced contracts for the purchase of services with teacher appointments? Why did AKEL react then, defending the purchase of services! It showed how hypocritical their attitude is.
In order not to forget what issues we are talking about, the large number of service purchase contracts, which arose together with the need for rapid and flexible development of new programmes of the Ministry, has its origins in those "stone years", when AKEL's policies implemented in governance had led to the state's coffers not even having the resources to pay the salaries of civil servants for more than a couple of months.
In any case, the Ministry of National Economy is at this very moment working on ways to replace the temporary provision of services and the creation of "open-ended" relationships with regular recruitment procedures.
It is true that for reasons of rapid and flexible development of new programmes in recent years there has been a significant number of contracts for the purchase of services in the Ministry of National Economy. But AKEL is the last to be able to talk about such matters. Because it is known that the whole issue is being examined and comprehensive solutions will be provided for the service purchase projects concerning the YPRAN."
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